


What a Difference a Day Makes

by carolej126, SueN, TeriH



Series: Spring in the world! And all things are made new! [2]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 12:10:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18620365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SueN/pseuds/SueN, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeriH/pseuds/TeriH
Summary: Originally published in Magnificent Kids #16 (Neon RainBow Press, 2012)Written by the Mod Squad (otherwise known as Carole, Sue, and Teri).A challenge to use the same opening section and create 3 totally different stores in 3 universes.JD and Vin take care of Uncle Ezra after an injury.





	What a Difference a Day Makes

_Chris Larabee looked out over the landscape. This was the time of the day he had always enjoyed. The sun in the distance was starting to sink below the horizon painting the sky in shades of pink and purple against a brilliant blue background. It had been a beautiful day, clear and crisp with only the occasional cloud. Now that winter was finally letting go its gripe the sun’s warmth had started to coax the first sprigs of green to appear. Spring was just around the corner and with it the renewal of life._

_“Coffee?” Buck Wilmington questioned as he slipped through the door, letting it bang shut in his wake. The question was rather redundant as he handed a steaming cup to his longtime friend and lowered his lanky frame into one of the two available chairs. “Should I ask what’s on your mind?_

_A smile pulled at the corner of Chris’ lips and he chuckled. ”Actually, I was thinking I’ve been spending too much time with Josiah lately.”_

_“Ah, so you got the, **‘Spring in the world! And all things are made new!’** talk from Josiah too...What?” Buck feigned innocence at Chris’ questioning look._

_“Buck?”_

_“Well the ladies love that poetic talk,” Buck admitted, “so I had Josiah write it down for me.”_

_Chris took another sip of the hot coffee savoring its bitter taste and the warmth it offered. With the setting sun the temperature had begun to dip drastically and the man once again turned to look out into the quickly settling darkness._

_“It’s going to be a cold one again tonight.”_

_Buck noted the concern that had unknowingly crept into the man’s voice. “Your worrying ain’t going to get ‘em home faster, Chris.”_

~~~~~~~

“Buck,” Chris warned, darting a look at the two boys nestled together, sleeping, in the chair next to Buck.

“They already know you’re worried, Chris,” Buck retorted, lowering his voice nonetheless.

“I know. Wasn’t really any way to keep it from them.” Chris sighed. “Or to keep them from being worried, too.”

And they had been.

“Is Uncle Ezra safe now?”

He could still hear Vin’s voice, see his face, the little boy’s eyes too old, too knowing. He’d told the truth: Yes, Ezra was safe now, even though he’d been injured. And he’d be home soon. He didn’t mention the undercover assignment already in the works, knowing it was at least a month or two away, figuring he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

“Ezra’s fine,” Buck said, “or, he will be. He’ll just have to take it easy for a bit.”

Chris knew Buck was right. But seeing was believing, for all of them.

It had been a fluke, a simple misstep after the bust that had sent Ezra to the ground, groaning in pain and clutching his knee.

And now, after a battery of “every invasive, intrusive test known to mankind,” including x-rays and an MRI, Ezra was finally on his way home.

The boys had been anticipating his arrival for hours, decorating the living room with both “Welcome Home, Uncle Ezra!” and “Get Well Soon!” signs, and cleaning the house from top to bottom “so’s Uncle Ezra don’t trip over nothin’.”

Chris smiled. That’s all they’d need, for Ezra to stumble amongst the hot wheels, dinosaurs, and other assorted toys that regularly littered the floor.

“Car’s comin’.”

Chris looked up in surprise. He’d been lost in thought, and missed seeing the vehicle that had exited the main road and was now coming down the driveway.

“Is it Uncle Ezra?”

Chris chuckled. “I didn’t know you were awake.” He tousled the seven-year-old’s hair. “And to answer your question...yep!”

Vin struggled to get to his feet, pushing aside the heavy blanket that covered him. “JD, wake up! Uncle Ezra’s here!”

JD went from sound asleep to wide awake in mere seconds. “Buck, did you hear Vin? Uncle Ezra’s here! You said he was comin’ home tonight, and he did!”

Buck rose from his chair, only to reconsider and squat down to the boys’ level. “Now boys, you need to remember what we told you. Uncle Ezra is gonna be fine. But, he’s got a sore leg and you need to be really careful around him.”

“So he don’t fall and hurt it ‘gain.” Vin nodded. “We will.”

“Well, alrighty then. I knew I could count on you.” Buck looked over at the car, now parked at the top of the driveway. “Nathan and Josiah are helpin’ Ezra out ‘a the car. Why don’t you go say ‘hi.’”

At first the boys were hesitant, clearly afraid of hurting the injured man. But when Ezra spotted them, he smiled and held his arms out wide in invitation.

And that was all the encouragement they needed.

Launching themselves from the porch the two boys ran into their Uncle’s embrace, Vin automatically moving to the side of the sore leg and being careful not to bump it.

Josiah’s steadying hand on his shoulder helped Ezra bear the impact of their arrival, and his smile never faltered as he swept JD into his arms, adjusted him onto one hip with well practised ease, and offered Vin his free hand.

“Welcome home, Uncle Ezra,” JD greeted, in his best stage whisper, “we painted a sign for you, well two att'ually but I mostly did the one that says Get-Well-Soon, and we cleaned up the house, and dinner’s nearly ready.”

“Well, thank you, JD, that all sounds perfectly wonderful.”

Vin smiled. “I’m glad you’re home, Uncle Ezra. Does your leg hurt a lot?”

“Hardly at all now, thank you, Vin,” Ezra replied around the lump in his throat, as his nephew’s small hand slipped into his and squeezed tightly.

Moving his head close to Ezra’s ear, JD whispered again, “I think Da an’ Chris are waiting to say hello.”

“Why’re you whispering, JD?” Vin asked, frowning at his brother, “it’s Uncle Ezra’s leg that’s hurtin’, not his head.”

“You has to talk quietly when people’s not well. Uncle Nathan told me that,” the youngster finished with a beaming smile at the medic, and Nathan nodded his approval.

“That’s right, JD. Now, why don’t you and Vin help me with the bags, and let Uncle Josiah help Uncle Ezra up to the house?”

“Yay! I can carries a bag all on my own,” JD agreed, squirming out of Ezra's grasp, the need to whisper forgotten as he headed off to investigate the contents of the trunk.

Vin lingered, his liquid blue eyes searching his Uncle's hazel ones for reassurance.

"I am fine, Vin, and I would be very grateful for your assistance with my bags."

"Just go slow, an’ lean on Uncle 'Siah if you need to," the youngster advised sagely, and reluctantly released his grip on Ezra’s hand.

Josiah allowed Ezra a moment to regain his composure before handing him the silver handled ebony cane that had quickly replaced the utilitarian aluminum version supplied by the hospital.

“God’s medicine.” Josiah smiled, as Ezra gazed after their nephews. The boys were watching in wide eyed awe as Nathan pulled a selection of Louis Vuitton holdalls from the trunk.

“Indeed,” Ezra sighed, “if we could only bottle it, we could surely cure the world’s ills.”

Dragging his gaze from the boys, Ezra returned Josiah’s smile, his eyes shining with a light that had been absent since his injury.

“Welcome home, brother,” Josiah squeezed Ezra's shoulder, and inclined his head toward the porch, and the two men waiting their turn to welcome their friend. “Shall we?”

*******

Dinner was a festive affair, Josiah regaling them with tales of his journeys through India “in my younger days,” and JD contributing to the conversation by filling Uncle Ezra in on everything that had happened at school during the undercover man’s absence.

Vin, however, was quiet, and it was the seven-year-old who first noticed his uncle’s growing lack of response and heavy-laden eyes.

“Chris,” Vin whispered, nudging his dad’s arm. “Uncle Ezra’s fallin’ asleep.”

Overhearing the little boy, Nathan rose to his feet. “Okay, Ezra, it’s time for bed.”

“But I was tellin’ Uncle Ezra ‘bout the smoke,” JD complained, his lips curling in a pout.

“Smoke?” Ezra questioned, “Dear lord, was there a fire?” Alarm colored his features as he looked up for an explanation.

JD giggled, his somber mood disappearing in an instant. “There wasn’t no fire, Uncle Ezra! It was like smoke, and it was coming outta my mouth!”

“Condensation,” Buck explained, taking pity on the other man.

“Oh,” Ezra answered, “That’s reassuring.” He yawned, his eyes struggling to stay open.

“Come on,” Nathan urged, taking Ezra’s arm. “Let’s get you settled and I’ll get your pills.”

“All righty then,” Ezra murmured, causing the rest of his teammates to chuckle.

Ezra was oblivious to their amusement. His eyes at half-mast, he was guided toward the ground level guest bedroom.

“Can’t we say goodnight to Uncle Ezra ‘fore he goes to bed?” JD asked, his bottom lip trembling slightly.

“Of course you can,” Buck reassured. In response, Ezra was carefully steered around so that he faced the boys.

“’Night, Uncle Ezra,” JD called, waving energetically. “See you in the morning!”

“’Night, Uncle Ezra,” Vin echoed quietly.

Ezra managed a small nod and a smile, before being ushered away.

*******

The caution of the night before forgotten, JD bounded into the kitchen, aiming straight for Ezra. “Hi, Uncle Ezra! Are you feeling better?”

“Whoa there, Little Bit,” Buck cautioned, swinging the young boy up into his arms. “Uncle Ezra is still a mite sore so you need to be careful.”

“Okay, Da, we will,” JD promised, playing with Buck’s mustache for a few seconds, before wiggling to get down.

“You, too, Vin,” Chris reminded the seven-year-old, who had followed JD into the room.

Vin nodded, taking a seat next to Ezra. “If you needs anything, Uncle Ezra, I’ll get it for you."  
“I wanted to sit next to Uncle Ezra,” JD protested. “I was gonna get stuff for him.”

“And you can, my dear boy.” Ezra smiled. “Why don’t you sit with me as well. It will be wonderful to have two helpers, ready to assist me with any need.”

Before he knew it, Vin and JD had provided Ezra with orange juice, coffee, freshly buttered toast, waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage and four crispy slices of bacon.

”Ya think he can get all that down?” Buck whispered.

“I don’t know,” Chris whispered back, grinning at Ezra’s wide-eyed look of amazement. “But with those two watching him, he’d better try!”

*******

The last light of day was slowly fading as the sun settled behind the mountain. From the porch Chris watched as a herd of deer moved across the field, stopping at the salt block that had been placed for the horses. The two ranch dogs, Elvis and Ringo lay stretched out, sound asleep on the wooden floor, oblivious to all around them.

“You guys are getting fat and lazy,” Chris commented to the two unconcerned animals. Ringo at least acknowledged his comment with a wag of his tail. ”Don’t expect someone feeding you under the table is going to become a regular occurrence.”

It has been a nice day, relaxing unlike some Saturdays. With an injured team member only the required chores had been undertaken, the rest of the day spent unwinding after a long and stressful week.  
Nathan and Josiah had both called to check on their friend. Each promised to be at the ranch the next afternoon for a day of sports and food, including Josiah’s famous Five Alarm chili. The poker game of old now postponed until after JD and Vin had been put to bed for the evening. Nathan grilled both Ezra and Chris to assure that his often surly patient was behaving and not overdoing.

“Coffee?” The slamming door punctuating Buck’s arrival and he handed Chris a steaming mug. “Thought I heard you talking to someone.”

“Just telling Ringo and Elvis not to get use to table scraps.”

“Thought I’d bust a gut when JD insisted that Ez needed seconds after he cleaned his plate so quick while the boys were off brushing their teeth.”

“Remind me to check the drawer on the coffee table,” Chris chuckled. “I think that was the recipient of the PB&J, heavy on the J, that Vin thought Ezra needed for an afternoon snack.”

“Too many days of recovering and ol’ Ez won’t fit in those fancy suits of his.”

“My turn, my turn!” JD’s voice carried out to the two men.

“Boys…boys,” the southerner’s voice soothed.

Chris turned and looked through the window. Ezra sat on the couch, his leg propped on a pillow, while the boys sat on the floor, an ottoman between them serving as a makeshift table.

“Now, Master Dunne, do you have any aces?”

“Go fish,” JD exclaimed.

Ezra reached over and produced the elusive ace of spades from JD’s ear.

“No fair, Uncle Ezra!” Vin’s giggle belied his statement.

“Figure we should go in and rescue, Ezra, or at least give him a break.”

“Or see if he’s hungry,” Buck suggested with a wink as he stepped back into the house.

Chris stopped at the threshold and turned to once more look across the land and the full moon rising slowly in the night sky. Could it have only been 24 hours since he last stood on this porch awaiting the arrival of his men? It seemed much longer. He knew that there would be other injuries, other close calls but tonight all was well.


End file.
